Puzzle Pieces
by whatplanetdididial
Summary: College AU. Taichi thought himself a no-nonsense, no-drama kind of guy. Then his best friend broke up with her ex, causing old feelings to resurface that he thought were squashed down years ago. And to top it all off, Ishida Yamato comes back into town and causes all hell to break loose. This was not how he saw his senior year going. [Chapter Twelve]
1. Prologue

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Prologue]

 _sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling right into place_

 _*.*.*.*_

Somehow, it always came back to this.

" _I can't believe he cheated on me._ "

Time after time he would convince himself that he was over it – that he was over _her_ – yet here he was, once again, trying to choke down the emotions that were threatening to crumble his resolve.

She hid her face in the crook of her elbow, attempting to wipe away the tears that were slowly trickling down her face. As he watched her, he imagined himself closing the gap between them on the couch and casually wrapping an arm around her for comfort.

That's what any friend would do, right?

Instead, he settled for staring at her from a distance. He was never good at this sort of thing.

"God, I'm such an idiot," she sniffled. "A pathetic idiot."

He took a deep breath to compose himself.

 _Come on, Taichi_ , he thought as he watched her grab a nearby tissue. The movement briefly exposed her blotched face and he sat mesmerized as lights danced off her thick, damp eyelashes until she retreated back into the security of her elbow. Snapping out of his daze, he chided himself. _Say something useful_.

"You're not an idiot, Sor. He's the idiot."

It took all he had not to shudder at his own words. Why wasn't he better at this?

She lowered her arm and turned her head to the side so he couldn't look her directly in the face. "You know, everyone said this would happen," she whispered, barely audible. "People told me I was being naive… that I was just seeing what I wanted to see." Her voice rose in anger. "That I'm blind to people's true feelings even when they're staring at me straight in the face."

The following silence hung heavy between them, threatening to engulf Taichi completely. Heat rose to his neck and he thanked his lucky stars her eyes were preoccupied elsewhere.

"And I can't believe they were right." she finished lamely, oblivious to Taichi's discomfort.

"Look…" he started. Fidgeting on his end of the couch, he raised a hand to his head. "That guy was..." he trailed, struggling to find the right word.

Taichi had a few choice words that he would have loved to use to describe her recent ex-boyfriend, but he knew she'd probably appreciate a more delicate approach. _You can do this_ , he thought to himself determinedly. His gaze followed her as she timidly turned to face him, and when chocolate eyes met auburn, he lost his train of thought.

"… an asshole."

She let out a soft giggle, but it was short-lived and he watched her eyebrows knit back together in a small frown.

"Okay, well not the whole time," he backpedaled, "but you were too good for him anyway. This really is a blessing in disguise." He raised a leg on the couch and turned to face her directly, waiting for her to reply.

"Oh really?" she mused. "And how did you come to that fascinating conclusion?" She smirked slightly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Well, for one, Ryuki's a terrible soccer player. Also he has no sense of humor. And third… he's not even that good looking." She snorted. "I know, 'beauty's only skin deep, Taichi,'" he mocked in a shrill, high-pitched voice. She glared at him, traces of the smirk still on her face. Taichi only responded with a lopsided grin.

"Seriously, Sor," he paused, making sure his next words came out careful and deliberate. "I know it sucks right now, but I promise, you are _way_ out of his league and someday you're gonna find the right guy that sweeps you off your feet and treats you like the queen that you are."

He replaced his grin with a softer smile and looked at her encouragingly. Her eyes rolled in response, but seconds later he saw her face soften as she muttered a small "thanks, Taichi."

 _Atta boy_ , he triumphed.

*.*.*.*


	2. Chapter 1

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 1]

 _"get over it, we're having a party and you're gonna be the star of the show."_

 _\- Yagami Taichi_

 _*.*.*.*_

She flicked her pencil erratically as the professor droned on in front of the class.

"… and as you can see here, this late 19th century design features the emblematic hourglass style. Note the distinctive wide shoulders, cinched waist—"

A loud grumble from her stomach shattered what little concentration she had left. _I hope I have enough food at home, I'm starving_.

"… note how the crinoline skirt accentuates the slim, corseted waist…"

Her eyes drifted toward the window, surveying the sky as twilight covered the last of the orange rays. _Any minute now_.

"… remember your textbooks for our next lecture. You'll be having an open-book quiz on 18th and 19th century—"

Sounds of chairs scraping against the hardwood floor drowned out the professor's voice, startling Sora out of her stupor. Following the lead of her classmates, she rose from her desk, gathered her things, and rushed toward the lecture hall exit, desperate to get home. Not a moment too soon, she found herself on her own doorstep and hastily headed inside, eager find something to eat.

"Mimi, I'm back!" she called out into the foyer.

"Sora!"

"Hey, Sor!"

"Evening, Sora."

Slightly caught off guard, Sora took a quick look around before setting her belongings down in her bedroom. Her eyes first trained on Mimi busying herself in the kitchen with what looked like a large helping of food. On the other side of the room she found Taichi lounging on the couch, chatting animatedly with Koushiro, both of whom Sora was mildly surprised to see.

"I didn't know you guys were coming over today, usually one of you sends a text," she said, returning to the living room and sliding into the small space on the couch that wasn't already occupied by Taichi's legs. She settled herself into a position where she could see both boys and the kitchen.

"Yeah, we weren't planning on coming over today, but Taichi—," Koushiro stopped, shooting a glare at the brunette, "—thought he'd drag me into his car today as soon as I got home."

"It was absolutely necessary," Taichi quipped as Sora distractedly strained to see into the kitchen. _I wonder what Mimi's making…_

"Absolutely necessary, huh?" scoffed Koushiro. "Debatable."

"Aren't you even going to ask us why we're here?" Taichi whined, directed at Sora. He stretched his leg, effectively poking her in the knee.

"You're always here," she said, swatting at his foot, "why is this any different?"

"Because we're about to blow your mind with fantastic news!"

Koushiro scoffed audibly and Sora raised a questioning eyebrow at the redhead.

"Oh don't pout Koushiro, you know you're gonna have the time of your life," Taichi boasted confidently, raising both of his arms and interlacing his fingers behind his head. He closed his eyes, ignoring the icy glare that was being directed at him, but the sigh of defeat that escaped Koushiro's lips did not go unnoticed by Sora.

 _What are they talking about?_

"Sora, don't make anything to eat tonight, dinner's on me!" Mimi called out, interrupting Sora's thoughts. "Also," she added, peering her head around the corner of the kitchen, "the guys are throwing a party the Friday of finals week, so we've got some shopping to do!"

"Mimi, I was gonna tell her!" Taichi cried indignantly.

"Well, Taichi, you were taking forever," she huffed, expertly whisking away at the saucepan she was holding. "That's what happens when you wait too long, you miss your opportunity." After a moment's silence, she ducked back into the kitchen, apparently finished with her declaration.

"Party? Is this for your birthday, Koushiro?" Sora asked, secretly celebrating the fact that she had the best roommate in the world.

Koushiro bowed his head, cheeks tinged pink. "Yeah, I guess," he admitted.

"Oh come on, Koushiro, get over it, we're having a party and you're gonna be the star of the show. It's not every day that you turn 21!" Taichi picked up a pillow from the couch and chucked it carelessly in the younger boy's direction, missing by a foot.

"We really don't need to throw a party, though," Koushiro started, picking up the pillow and placing it neatly behind him. "There's no need to go through so much trouble, especially with final exams going on all week."

"Absolute nonsense!" Mimi exclaimed poking her head out of the kitchen once again. She yielded a spatula in his direction and chided, "We're throwing you a party, and that's final!"

Sora giggled, shaking her head at her friends. "Hey Mimi, are you almost done in there? I'm starving!" she complained.

"Gimme about five more minutes!" was the muffled response from behind the wall.

Sora turned her attention back to the boys. "So Koushiro, who do you plan on inviting to the party? …Or should I say," she supplied with a smirk, "who is _Taichi_ inviting to the party for you?"

"Everyone!"

"Well, besides you guys," Koushiro said, throwing another glare in Taichi's direction, "I dunno, maybe Jyou and Hikari?"

"Which means Takeru is invited," Sora presumed.

" _Pbbbt_."

"Taichi, be nice."

"Oh, and Miyako as well," Koushiro continued.

"That reminds me, I'm inviting Daisuke, too. I like that kid," Taichi declared.

"You only like him because he idolizes you," Sora teased. "You just want someone to fawn all over you and make people think you're cool."

"And take the stage away from our dear friend over here?" he cried in response, putting on his best attempt at an innocent face. "I would never!"

Sora opened her mouth to continue their banter but stopped suddenly when she spotted Mimi making another appearance from the kitchen.

"Dinner is ready, my darlings!" she said with a flourish, beckoning the trio towards the food.

Taichi was already halfway to the dining table before Sora and Koushiro even had a chance to register Mimi's announcement. The redheads both shook their heads fondly, but as Koushiro turned to follow Taichi's lead, Sora gently grabbed at his wrist, pulling him to a halt.

"Are you really okay with having a party, Koushiro?" she asked in a low voice so the other two couldn't overhear them. "I don't want you to feel forced into anything you're not comfortable with," she added delicately.

Koushiro furtively turned his head, but she still caught the blush that stained his cheeks.

"I mean, I'll admit, a party is way out of my comfort zone, but…" Koushiro stammered before turning an even deeper shade of red. "I… I really am kind of excited about it. I feel like I've been so strung up lately, and everyone always talks about how much fun they have at parties, and I mean, college is the time to let loose and try new things, right? It can't be that bad… I think."

Sora smiled warmly, causing Koushiro to scratch the back of his head bashfully.

"Don't worry, Taichi's right, you'll have the time of your life… assuming you remember any of it," she added teasingly, effectively making Koushiro blanch at her words. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" she laughed. "You'll be fine, I'm excited for you! It's going to be a blast, don't you worry."

Koushiro replied with his own tentative smile and twisted back to face Sora. Before he could say anything else though, Taichi's voice floating over to them from the other side of the room interrupting their exchange.

"Hurry up, you two! Mimi won't let me eat until we're all at the table. I'm dying over here!"

Sora grinned at Koushiro as they both bit back laughs. Giving him an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder, she tilted her head motioning him to follow her.

"Come on, let's go before Taichi gives himself a heart attack."

"A fine idea, indeed," he said, still chuckling to himself. "... thanks, Sora."

*.*.*.*


	3. Chapter 2

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 2]

 _it's the little moments that matter_

 _*.*.*.*_

She stretched her arm out as far as possible, but her racket didn't make it in time. The ball dropped inside of the white line just beyond her.

"30-40, match point!"

He watched her grit her teeth as she strode to the back of the court to serve.

"Arngh!" she grunted with force.

The ball flew across the net only to be rallied back to her side of the court with ease. Taichi's eyes followed not the ball going back and forth, but his best friend as she dove this way and that, determined to not lose the last point.

He may have been appalled that fateful day she uttered the words " _I quit the soccer team_ ", but _damn_ he had to admit she looked good in her tennis outfit.

"Game, set, match!"

Taichi did a double take.

He glanced over at the chair umpire who was descending from his seat. Confirming that the match had just been called, he turned back to Sora and heaved a sigh. It was hard to miss the disappointment in her face as she walked up to the net to shake her opponent's hand.

Spectators around him bustled about, but Taichi stayed put. Absentmindedly he stared up at the clouds, idly playing with his jacket strings as people descended from the stands. Stealing glances Sora's way every minute or so, he waited until he saw her bow to her coach to rise from the bench and make his way down to the court exit. His long legs got him to the gate first, and as she approached, he met her gaze and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"You still rock in my books, Takenouchi."

"At least I almost won the last game. That counts for something, right?" Her expression didn't match the light-hearted tone of her comment.

Turning away from the courts, he guided her through the gate and they commenced the usual, short trek toward her apartment.

"That's now my third loss in a row."

"I told you, you should have stuck with soccer."

"At the rate I'm going, I think I might have to agree with you. I'm surprised I'm even still on the team."

"Everyone has bad days. You just happened to have three inconveniently consecutive ones."

She laughed. "I should have told that to Coach while she was telling me off just now."

"I would have paid to see that," he chuckled back before they fell into a comfortable silence.

As they walked, he felt the temperature considerably drop and he turned to the redhead next to him. His eyes furrowed in concern; she was still sweaty from the match.

"You're gonna catch pneumonia in this weather, Sor. Here, take my jacket," he stated casually as he stripped himself of his zip-up.

"Thanks, mom," she rolled her eyes. "It's not even that cold yet."

They continued walking, but almost immediately a shiver betrayed her as a gust of wind blew between them.

Grinning, he swung his arms around and draped his recently shed jacket over her frame. He squeezed her shoulders and held her a few seconds longer than he probably should have, but she didn't seem to notice.

"You're the worst liar. You're lucky chivalry isn't dead," he jibed.

"Ever the gentleman," she smiled at him playfully. "They grow up so quickly."

"Always at your service, m'lady."

She tugged at the sleeves and burrowed herself into the soft fabric, resuming her pace as Taichi followed suit.

Moments later, they neared her apartment steps and she turned to him to ask, "Are you eating with us tonight?"

"Sadly, I can't," he politely declined. "I promised Koushiro I'd help him with birthday plans over dinner. For someone who keeps saying the party is unnecessary, he's being incredibly particular about it all. I should have known he'd get all controlling, he just can't leave anything to the experts, huh?"

She giggled as she peeled off his jacket. "Oh, so you're an expert now, are you? Well, count your blessings, it's my turn to cook, anyway."

Still smiling, she held out his jacket letting him grab it from her. "Thanks again, Taichi" she expressed, motioning to the article of clothing now draped over his arm, and he nodded in response.

"Alright, well I'll see you later then," she said as she moved toward the entrance of her apartment. "Good luck with the planning and say 'hi' to Koushiro for me!" And with a wave, she shut the door behind her, leaving Taichi to turn and head home.

Making his way to his car, he absentmindedly slung his jacket over his shoulder and caught a whiff of something floral with a hint of cinnamon.

He couldn't help but smile.

*.*.*.*


	4. Chapter 3

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 3]

 _curiosity sometimes just connects the dots in different ways_

*.*.*.*

"Can they _be_ any louder?" Sora cried from the floor. She flopped over onto her back and stretched out in exasperation, knocking into a few of her textbooks in the process. "Don't they know some people need to study on a Thursday night?"

"Maybe it's a sign that we shouldn't be studying in the first place," Taichi grumbled as his neighbor's bass thudded through the thin walls.

"You're the one who invited me over to study!"

"Yeah, but it doesn't make it any more enjoyable. I forgot reading is just as boring when you're around."

"You're impossible you know that?" she giggled, chucking a pen at his chest.

Koushiro sat nearby sporting large headphones placed securely over his ears. His head perked up at the pen's sudden movement, but just as quickly, he hunched back over and resumed clacking away at his yellow device, uninterested.

Sora lay frustrated as the muffled music shuffled into a popular dance tune she vaguely recognized.

"Taichi, do something!"

Closing the book in his lap, Taichi propped up his legs onto the ottoman. His fingers interlaced behind his head and he frowned down at her. "What do you expect me to do, crash their party?"

She shot up from her previous position on the floor. "Oh, would you please? I'd love you forever!"

"Come again?"

"Just go over there and see if they can turn the music down."

"Sora," Taichi scoffed. "I'm not gonna go over there and try to tell a bunch of drunk people to tone it down." He leaned back and closed his eyes. "Maybe I should just go down there and join them instead. I don't think I can cram anything else in my brain tonight."

"Taichiiiii," Sora pleaded. She knew he hated it when she whined, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "Pretty please? We have finals next week!" she pouted, batting her eyelashes in vain as he kept his eyes firmly shut.

Cheers and screams suddenly reverberated through the shared panel of the living room and he opened his eyes just in time to see her scowling at him.

Taichi let out a low growl.

"Fine, you win, you big baby. But you owe me one."

"Put it on my tab," she smirked victoriously.

Taichi rose from his seat and forcibly trudged to the front door. Grabbing a jacket on the way out, he paused before making his exit. "If I don't come back within the next five minutes, I definitely ditched you and stayed at the party."

Sora had to stifle her laughter as the door shut behind him. With nothing else to do, she rose from the floor and headed for the kitchen in search of a distraction. Making herself at home, she rummaged through the pantry and called out into the living room, "Want anything to eat, Koushiro?"

Silence.

She poked her head in the living room. _Oh yeah, the headphones_.

"Koushiro!"

No response.

"KOUSHIRO!"

Eyes wide, Koushiro peeled off his headphones and looked inquisitively at her. "Sorry, did you say something?"

"Want anything to eat or drink while I'm up?" she repeated, making her way back into the kitchen. Sifting through the shelves, she settled on her favorite chips that the boys always seemed to have stocked.

"I'll pass, I had a large dinner. Thanks, though!"

Sauntering back in the living room, she plopped herself into Taichi's recently vacated seat.

"Where did Taichi go, anyway?" Koushiro asked, glancing up from his computer.

"He went next door to take care of _that_ ," she explained, referring to the pulsating rhythms emanating from the nearby apartment.

"Ahhh, good call. You'd think they'd be a little more courteous with finals coming up so soon."

"Right? Also, speaking of finals week, I saw your online birthday invitation! And I also saw that Taichi got his way and invited almost the entire school," she grinned impishly.

"It does seem to be that way," Koushiro chuckled. "I have no idea how we're going to fit all of the guests into this cramped space."

"I'm sure you and Taichi will work your magic," she assured, fishing out her phone from her back pocket. "Have you checked how many people are coming? You, me, Taichi, Mimi," she listed, scrolling through all of the acceptances. "Jyou, Hikari, Takeru... wow, this'll be just like old times!"

For a fraction of a moment, Sora thought she saw Koushiro's face cloud over.

"Yeah, just like old times!" he exclaimed, a little too brightly for Sora's taste.

"Mhmm," she hummed, letting his odd behavior slide. "Anyway, Mimi and I were talking about how this is going to be our first time partying with the younger kids. Isn't that crazy to think about? Although apparently Miyako has some wild stories, so I guess they're not as mild-mannered as we all thought they were," she giggled.

"Yeah, everyone all together," Koushiro mumbled distantly, fiddling with the cord of his headphones.

"Okay, weirdo, what's up with you?"

He snapped up at her words, a deer caught in the headlights.

"Nothing's wrong! You're right, it'll definitely be interesting to see how they behave under the influence of alcohol."

Sora was glad that Koushiro at least had the decency to look a little guilty.

"Koushiro…"

"I just – I just forgot I wanted to tell you something."

Sora frowned in confusion as Koushiro let out a puff of air before continuing on.

"So I was talking to Takeru the other day and–"

"Your knight in shining armor has arrived!"

Taichi barreled into the apartment with a wide grin plastered on his face, interrupting the pair's exchange. "You guys didn't forget about me, right?"

"Actually, we kind of did," Sora said, shooting Koushiro a sideways glance.

"Rude," Taichi pouted. "Anyway, if you guys would be so kind to notice, the racket next-door has decreased considerably, thanks to yours truly. Also, guess what else this handsome devil scored?" he smirked as he threw a small scrap of paper in Sora's direction. She picked up the discarded item, read its contents, and looked up at Taichi, mouth agape.

"Is this a phone number?" she snorted in disbelief.

"From a female?"

"What? Yes, Koushiro, from a female. Ugh, you're the worst."

"Oh my god, Taichi," Sora laughed shamelessly. "I can't believe someone wrote their number down on a piece of paper for you! What decade are we in, the 80's?"

"Jealousy doesn't look good on you, sweetheart."

Koushiro snickered, not even bothering to hide his amusement. With an eye roll, she handed the number back to the brunette. "So when's the wedding?"

Seizing the paper from her, Taichi made his way into the kitchen and carelessly tossed it in the trash bin. "No wedding, sadly, she's not my type," was his reply. Grabbing two beers from the fridge, he moseyed back into the living room and lowered himself onto the couch next to Sora.

"Why, what didn't you like about her?" she asked curiously, accepting the proffered beverage.

"There wasn't anything in particular," he chuckled, "I just have high standards." Waggling his eyebrows, he waved over himself suggestively. "Not just anyone gets to ride this stallion."

"And that's my cue," Koushiro deadpanned as he shoved his headphones on, immersing himself back into his work.

"You're so gross," she scolded, smacking Taichi lightly on his upper arm. "Why do you always have to be so vulgar? You're going to miss out on a lot of nice girls if you keep glossing over them like that."

"Aww, Sora, you know I'm not like that," he said with a surprising amount of sincerity. Holding her gaze, he added, "I'm paying attention plenty."

She had a sneaking suspicion there was more to his statement than he was letting on, but he had already switched gears before she could prompt him further. With a swig of his beer, Taichi picked back up his books and groaned, "Well, I guess we'd better get back to it then, huh?"

Nodding her head, she reluctantly followed suit. Grabbing her own discarded textbooks, she snuck a peek at him out of the corner of her eye, his earlier response gnawing at her.

 _What did he mean by that?_

*.*.*.*


	5. Chapter 4

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 4]

 _when you lose somebody you love, you don't get over it, you get used to it_

 _*.*.*.*  
_

She _really_ hated being late.

A bead of sweat slid down her forehead as she sped toward the restaurant, desperately clinging to the balloon strings that were threatening to slip through her fingers.

Nearing the entrance, she quickly checked her phone. _6:24 pm_ , she read before dashing through large double doors.

"How many in your party, miss?" asked a host as she approached the booth.

Sora scanned the large room. "I think they may already be seated, it's a party of—" she cut off as she spotted short, blonde hair amidst a large group towards the back of the restaurant. "Oh, there they are! May I?" She didn't wait for a reply as she weaved through tables, making a beeline for her friends.

Approaching the table, heads swiveled in her direction and she fought hard not to flush under the attention. "I'm _so_ sorry I'm late, practice ran over," she breathed as she eyed an open chair next to the blonde she spotted earlier. Heading her way to the end of the table, Taichi interrupted her.

"Here, Sora, I saved a seat for you!"

He sat in the middle of the booth motioning toward the empty space between Koushiro and himself. As Koushiro started to rise, she stammered, "Oh no, no need to get up Koushiro, I can take the chair at the end next to Takeru, I don't want to be an inconvenience."

"Nonsense, this spot has your name on it," Taichi replied, waving off her concern. Already out from the bench, Koushiro stood, waiting to let her in. Conceding defeat, she lowered herself and scooted across the seat into the space left for her.

"You always have to be so difficult. Congratulations, brat," she joked as she handed Taichi the balloons she had been holding.

"Thanks, Sora!" he exclaimed appreciatively, ignoring her insult. "Here, Hikari," he added as handed them across the table to his sister, "tie those to the back of your chair so they won't take off, will you?"

Small, deft fingers anchored down the strings and Hikari turned back to the table smiling proudly. "Anything for the guest of honor!" she exclaimed.

"I still can't believe you didn't tell all of us you wanted to go to business school!" Mimi whined. "I thought you were going to be a sports doctor or something!"

Taichi rolled his eyes as a few others chuckled at her remark. "Mimi, I've told you about a million times, I'm studying International Studies. You just have a terrible memory."

"Well… whatever. It was hard to keep track, you were basically switching majors every other month."

"Who would've guessed?" Joe mused aloud. "After all these years, Taichi is finally hanging up his cleats for a briefcase."

"Next thing you know, he'll be wearing suits and sporting a fancy new haircut," Sora chimed in, patting his bushy mane fondly.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be nice to me tonight?" Taichi chuckled, nudging her lightly with his shoulder in retaliation. "Also, I think the waiter's trying to flag you down, Sor."

Turning to meet eyes with the server, Sora offered the man a sheepish grin before lifting up the menu in front of her.

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot to pick something. Give me just a second, I don't want to hold everyone's orders up…"

It took less than a minute to add her order to the tab, but by the time Sora's attention was to the table again, she was unexpectedly surrounded by several, smaller conversations. To her right, she could hear both Koushiro and Jyou feverishly talking down Mimi's outlandish party ideas. Taichi and Daisuke were on her left rehashing their last soccer match a little too loudly for Sora's taste. At end of the table, Miyako was unabashedly eyeing another waiter from across the room.

"… so based on what the counselor said, I'll really only be doing a three-year course load," she overheard Hikari explaining to Takeru who was bobbing his head up and down, encouraging her to continue. "I guess senior year is strictly shadowing professors and working as a teacher's aide to get experience in front of a classroom. But I'm really excited to be starting my early childhood development courses next year, they'll be much more relevant to my career than the classes I'm taking now!"

"Are you still working towards being a kindergarten teacher, Hikari?" Sora asked, inserting herself into the conversation.

"Yes, I am!" Hikari beamed. "I'm incredibly grateful to have been accepted here; the school has their own post-grad accreditation program that you automatically get accepted into if you maintain a 3.7 GPA. I'd have to keep my grades up, of course, but it's an amazing opportunity if I can achieve it!"

An image ran through Sora's head of a five-year-old Hikari pretending that a young Taichi and Sora were her disobedient pupils, chasing them around the Yagami household.

"… I honestly get chills knowing that in just three years I'll be standing up in front of a group of students. The counselor also said that—"

As Hikari continued, Sora couldn't help but smile fondly at the young woman in front of her. It really had been too long since she had had a proper conversation with Hikari –and Takeru, for that matter– and she realized she had missed their regular presence. It was shame she hadn't made more of an effort to keep in touch with them…

"You okay, Sora? You seem a bit spacey."

Jerked out of her thoughts, Sora found herself staring into piercing, blue eyes causing her to do a double take. Takeru tilted his head in concern, throwing a quick glance Hikari's way.

"Yeah, sorry Takeru," she said, shaking her head clear. "It just feels like it's been so long since I've talked to you guys, I can't believe it!"

"Well I know Taichi's been really busy this senior year, I can only imagine your load is just as full. We're just glad we get to see you at all!" Hikari smiled.

Takeru nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, it's crazy how you close you guys are to graduating. What are your plans for after university?"

"Well," Sora started, "I'm currently strengthening my portfolio so I can have more of a competitive edge when I apply to design school. I switched majors so late that I don't think I'm quite ready to apply for the upcoming year." She shrugged. "But I'm also taking the gap year to do an internship for the work experience, so that should hopefully boost my resume."

"Who would've thought? Takenouchi Sora, the great fashion designer!" Hikari praised.

"Well, not yet," Sora giggled. "But maybe one day."

"Takeru's decided to take the artistic route too, did you know?"

"Oh, really?" Sora answered, turning her attention to Takeru. "What are you studying?"

"Journalism!" he revealed excitedly. "I started a blog for fun a few years ago so I could share what I was up to with Ya—" he flinched, "—my friends, and from then on, the idea of writing professionally just kinda stuck with me. I'm actually in the process of applying for a university newspaper staff position for next semester. Applications are due at the end of the month."

Takeru's eyes had flashed in concern, but just as quickly, Hikari was ready with another question, prompting him to go more into detail about the interview process.

 _Really, Takeru?_

Sora couldn't help but be mildly offended by the obvious cover-up. There was no reason to walk on eggshells around her; was it not clear that she had already moved on? Did Takeru really think she still wasn't over everything?

"… and honestly it's super convenient having my mom around to help me hone my skills…"

It wasn't a secret that Ishida Yamato was a topic she'd rather avoid, but that didn't mean she was going to have a panic attack every time someone said his name. Sure, for a while the mere mention of him used to reduce her to a blubbering mess, but she was only human. He was her first love, after all.

She must've missed a joke of Takeru's because Hikari unexpectedly broke out into a fit of giggles, snapping Sora out of her daze. She looked up just in time to glimpse a self-satisfied smirk plastered on the blonde's face and her eyes widened, caught off-guard by the eerie resemblance.

 _Since when did Takeru start looking so much like his brother?_

The thing that gnawed at Sora the most about her breakup with Yamato was the complete lack of closure. It was like everything had snuck up on her all at once: the tour announcement, the plane ticket purchase… the final goodbye. And Sora wasn't the only one who felt blind-sighted; their friends agreed that everything seemed to have happened incredibly fast. She would know, she had questioned almost everyone about it several times.

 _"I love you too much to have you wait around for me."_

What a load of bullshit.

But she had moved on, just like everyone told her to.

Granted, hindsight taught her that her recent ex-boyfriend probably wasn't the next best choice since she caught him cheating on her at the first party of the new school year, but she couldn't deny that she had been really happy for the first time in a long while. She couldn't help it, she liked being in a relationship.

The moral of the story was that she had moved on. And people really should get that through their thick skulls.

"Hey Sor, wanna split a dessert?"

For the second time that night she was abruptly pulled out of her inner monologue, this time by Taichi. She glanced around distractedly at Hikari and Takeru before processing the question. Hoping they didn't notice anything, she shot a sly smile Taichi's way.

"Dessert?" she replied. "You know I'm always game."

As it neared 8 o'clock, the group relinquished their seats and started their goodbyes outside of the restaurant. Passersby could hear choruses of "It was so good to see you!", "See you next Friday!", and "Congrats, Taichi!", and Sora couldn't help but think the night was ending too soon.

As if reading her thoughts, Taichi slung his arm over her shoulder and said, "After-party at my place?"

She waved to the last of their friends as the two ambled back to their cars.

"Pretending not to fall asleep with the TV on?" she smirked, looking up in his direction.

"You know it," he grinned.

"Lead the way."

*.*.*.*


	6. Chapter 5

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 5]

 _surprise! (or not)_

*.*.*.*

"I don't know what you're getting so worked up about Koushiro, everything's going to be fine."

Taichi pushed the last of the furniture toward the edge of their living room. Observing the newly formed expanse, he nodded affirmatively. "This should work."

"I know, I know," Koushiro agreed as he bent down to connect the wires of the sound system. He tested the speakers a few times to confirm everything was working properly before rising up to face Taichi. "I'm not worked up, I'm just—"

"What?"

Koushiro stayed silent.

"Look, you've been on edge almost all week and you finished finals on Tuesday." Taichi looked at his friend, eyes skeptical. "You know you can tell me if something's wrong, right?"

"Okay. I'll tell you, but you have to swear not to tell anyone else because Takeru made me promise to keep it a surprise."

"How old are we, nine?"

"Look—" Koushiro frowned. "I just – I'm hoping maybe you'll know best whether this is something to worry about or not."

"Well, then spit it out."

Koushiro took a deep breath.

"Yamato's coming tonight."

It took all that Taichi had not to noticeably flinch at the name. He tried to come up with a quick response, but he seemed to have inexplicably lost all motor skills. After what felt like years, he managed to utter a faint, "Oh."

"Yeah."

Regaining control of his limbs, he feigned indifference. "About time he came back! I'm surprised Mr. Rockstar even remembers us anymore, no one's heard from him in ages." He broke eye contact with Koushiro and moved to the kitchen to organize the drinks for later that night.

"So… do you think everything's going to be okay?"

"Of course it will, everyone will be tickled pink to see him again," he called over the noise of the clinking bottles. "You'd better be careful, he might steal all of your thunder."

"You know what I mean," came the redhead's response, sounding much closer than Taichi had expected it to. He turned to see that Koushiro had followed him into the kitchen.

"She'll be fine," Taichi sighed. "It's been, what, three years? I'd be more worried if Ryuki showed up."

Koushiro leaned against the kitchen cabinet. "It's just, she never really— Mimi always said— well… you know her best. Are you sure?"

"I haven't talked to her about Yamato in years. If Takeru thinks it's okay for them to be around each other, then I'm sure it'll be fine. He'd know better than I would," he said, offering what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Okay then."

Koushiro pushed himself off of the counter and hesitated.

"I— I tried to tell her, you know."

"I'm guessing you didn't get very far," Taichi joked as he finished shoving the last of the beers in the refrigerator.

"Do you think I should have?"

"You're the genius, Koushiro, not me."

"Not when it comes to people! She's _your_ best friend."

Taichi threw away the excess grocery bags and met Koushiro's stare. "Sora will be fine, she's a big girl. If anything, maybe it's better she doesn't know so she doesn't have time to stress out and make it a bigger deal than it actually is. You know how she gets when she thinks too much."

"Was that too hard to say?" Koushiro smirked.

"Go pull out the folding table for tonight, moron."

*.*.*.*


	7. Chapter 6

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 6]

 _introducing Professor Tachikawa, expert in Partying 101_

 _*.*.*.*_

Maroon lace covered her arms, stopping just below her elbow. The sweetheart neckline of her dress left just enough room for the imagination and its bodice tapered down to a skintight skirt that hugged her hips. She sighed as she examined her reflection.

"Mimi, it's too much."

Sora watched through the mirror as light golden-brown hair bobbed it's way into her bedroom.

"Honey!" Mimi gasped. "You look stunning! Don't be silly, the invitation said to dress up." She momentarily vanished from Sora's sight and reappeared rifling through a small pink bag while the redhead grumbled, "I don't know why we have to dress up, it's just our friends."

"Here, put these on," Mimi instructed, ignoring her friends' protests and handing her an assortment of tubes and palettes. "These will go great with maroon."

"But Mimi, even _you're_ not wearing a dress tonight," Sora complained as she opened one of the tubes to reveal crimson-shaded lipstick.

"Yes, but that's because I just bought _this_ little number and needed a place to wear it."

Mimi struck a pose for her roommate, flaunting her revealing, black crop-top and form-fitting, white skinny jeans. She was already sporting black pumps and Sora couldn't help but admire how effortless her friend made it look walking in them.

"You look fabulous as always, Mimi."

"Thank you, doll," she giggled, turning back toward her own bedroom to finish up her hair.

It was another fifteen minutes before both ladies deemed themselves ready to go. Sora did one final check to make sure her hair was securely pinned to the side before picking up her things and heading into the living room. Exiting her bedroom, she stumbled in her beige heels from the added weight and swore under her breath.

"You'll have to take smaller steps if you don't want to fall flat on your face tonight," Mimi chirped from the kitchen.

"Duly noted," Sora grumbled, throwing a glare in the younger girl's direction while shifting the strap of her satchel to a more comfortable position.

Through the entryway, Mimi eyed the bag suspiciously. "I thought you were going to take a cab back with me?"

"Change of plans," Sora answered. "Taichi texted a few hours ago asking if I could stay the night to help take care of Koushiro. I think that's his excuse to get me to help them clean up tomorrow morning… _boys_ ," she scoffed, pulling out her phone.

"I can't say that I'm surprised," Mimi giggled as she slipped into the living room carrying two shot glasses that were brimming with clear liquid. With a mischievous smile, she offered Sora the liquor and challenged, "You weren't thinking about calling a cab yet, were you?"

Pressing the end button, Sora shoved the device back into her bag and feigned innocence.

"I would never!" she answered, sliding the bag off of her shoulder and accepting the beverage. "Like you always say, pre-gaming is Partying 101!"

"Damn straight!" Mimi replied, grinning proudly. As she raised her glass towards the redhead, she declared, "Well, here's to tonight!"

"And to Koushiro!" Sora chimed.

Tossing back their heads the two downed the alcohol with practiced ease. Before she had a chance to reach for her cell again, Sora caught a glint in Mimi's eye that she read all-too-clearly.

There would be a few more rounds to go before she'd be hailing their taxi.

*.*.*.*


	8. Chapter 7

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 7]

 _the calm before the storm_

 _*.*.*.*_

Cheers echoed inside the small apartment as Taichi slammed down his cup triumphantly. He grinned sloppily and hollered to the group, "Best King's Cup I've ever had the pleasure to drink!", inciting a chorus of laughs.

With the game finished, he and a few others rose from their spots to let a new one start. Looking around, Taichi contemplated his next move; what he really wanted to do was play was beer pong, but since his partner-in-crime hadn't arrived yet, he settled on seeing how Koushiro was doing.

Squeezing through the crowd, he finally spotted his target in the corner of the kitchen flanked by Daisuke and Takeru.

"Come on Koushiro, just try it. I promise, it's not sketchy!"

"Daisuke, just you saying 'it's not sketchy' makes it sketchy, you know that, right?" Koushiro deadpanned.

"I watched him make it, I swear he didn't mess with it!" Takeru validated. "Trust us, today is all about trying new things!"

Taichi leaned over Daisuke's shoulder to examine the mystery concoction. Remarkably opaque, the drink was a cherry color with a hint of green. Wrinkling his nose he grimaced, "What the hell is that, Daisuke?"

"It's jungle juice! I made a fresh batch last night just for Koushiro and I want him to be the first to try it!"

"You haven't tried it yet...?"

"It smells alright, it only looks suspicious. Go ahead, take a whiff," Takeru coaxed. Taichi leaned into the drink and caught traces of what he thought were pineapples and oranges.

"It checks out," he affirmed to Koushiro.

Koushiro skeptically took the drink from Daisuke and hesitated before bringing it to his nose. With a firm nod, he let out a puff of air and took a large gulp of the drink. Daisuke's eyes widened in anticipation as Koushiro ran his tongue across his lips dramatically, pausing for effect.

"Prodigious!"

Daisuke and Takeru let out a simultaneous whoop and high-fived each other in celebration. The two fled from the kitchen only to return with Takeru authoritatively carving a path through the throng of guests and Daisuke, trailing right behind, towing a large cooler.

"What— "

Before Taichi could get the question out, Daisuke threw open the cooler lid revealing a pool of his jungle juice topped with an assortment of soaked fruits. Daisuke took an empty cup from the counter and ladled a large scoop of the mixture into it before handing it over to the brunette.

"Age before beauty!"

"Get bent, Daisuke," Taichi ragged as he snatched at the drink. Slapping his young friend on the back, he intended to ask about the recipe when high-pitched squeals diverted his attention.

Taichi turned at the noise and caught a flash of purple hair whizzing toward his front door, clearly indicating that new guests had just arrived. As the designated host of the night, he signaled to the others that he'd be right back before turning to head out of the kitchen to greet the newcomers. Weaving in and out of bodies in anticipation, Taichi only got halfway to the entrance before stopping suddenly to gawk, his heart pounding in his chest.

She was absolutely breathtaking.

He knew the invite said to "dress to impress", but Sora completely put everyone else to shame with her outfit, which was quite a feat with Tachikawa Mimi in the same room. As he slowly approached her, he willed himself to keep his eyes from raking over his best friend's body in order to maintain some shred of dignity. Shoving through the last of the crowd, he snuck behind her unnoticed as she chatted with friends.

"Hey, gorgeous," he purred into her ear, catching her off-guard. He chuckled as she swatted at him over her shoulder.

"Taichi!" Sora exclaimed indignantly. He could almost taste the alcohol on her breath. "Don't be stupid."

"Hey," he said, pulling her arm so she was facing him. "Seriously, Sor, you look amazing."

"Ugh," she groaned, disregarding his compliment. "Why did you guys have to make this party semi-formal? I feel like an idiot."

 _So you'd show up like this_.

"You can blame Mimi for that. She's the one who made us enforce that particular rule."

"Mimi!" she cried. Next to her, Mimi promptly turned around while trying to steady the jungle juice she somehow already had in her possession. "What, love?"

"You didn't say you were the one behind the dress code!"

"I told you I had a new outfit I wanted to wear, didn't I?" she quipped. With a tilt of her head, Mimi blew them a kiss and sauntered off to mingle, leaving Taichi and Sora at the front door.

"Typical Mimi. Also, how'd she get a drink so quickly?" Sora asked, marveling at her friend's social prowess.

"Beats me, she's a woman of mystery. The jungle juice _is_ pretty good though," he said, tilting his cup in her direction. "Courtesy of Daisuke."

She took a sip of the concoction and her muscles twitched into a grin in response. "Mmm, I'll have to give him my compliments."

"It's in the kitchen, want a cup of your own?"

She held out her hand to him. "Lead the way?"

He squeezed her hand affectionately.

"Follow me."

*.*.*.*


	9. Chapter 8

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 8]

 _slipping, slipping, slipping_

*.*.*.*

"Koushirooo," a voice sang. "It's time to take that shot you owe me!"

Unceremoniously grabbing his arm, Sora pulled Koushiro into the kitchen before he could protest any further. Amber liquid sloshed around as she passed him one of the two small glasses already sitting on the counter.

"I don't remember ever owing you a shot, Sora," Koushiro mused while attempting to still his drink. "Also, do I not get to choose the liquor?"

"Everyone likes tequila!" she called back with her head in the refrigerator. Taking out a lime, she fished out a small knife from one of the drawers to prepare slices for the two of them.

"Cut out a third for me, will you?" a voice interjected. "I need to replenish my electrolytes after all that dancing."

"Taichi, tell her I don't have to take a shot," Koushiro pleaded to the newcomer, face flushed. "I just had to find out what a shot gun is and I don't think I can fit anymore liquid in my body."

"Nice try, buddy. I was there and you barely finished half of that beer."

Sora giggled, placing a wedge on Koushiro's glass before garnishing her own. Taichi poured a shot for himself and grabbed the third slice from the counter.

"Also, I'm insulted you guys didn't even try to come find me for this," the brunette scolded.

"I don't recall it being your birthday…" Koushiro trailed.

"And I don't recall asking for any of your cheek," Taichi shot back playfully.

"Well I don't remember anyone asking you to take this shot with us either, but here you are."

"Koushiro!" Sora gasped incredulously. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, almost causing their cheeks to brush against each other. "Alcohol makes you sassy! Where has sassy Koushiro been all my life?"

Koushiro somehow turned a shade redder and fumbled to steady his drink.

"Down, girl," Taichi chuckled, detaching her from their friend. "He may get sassy, but you get all touchy-feely and it scares people. Especially the youngans."

"Sorry, Koushiro," she giggled.

"Were you guys really going to take a shot without me?" a fourth voice wailed over the din. Cleary in a huff, Mimi wheedled her way through the kitchen, bumping into a few passersby that were in her path. "Frankly, I'm insulted. Did I not tell you, Koushiro, that we were to be attached at the hip all night?"

"Wow, Koushiro, it looks like you're pretty popular tonight. Now if only you'd play it cool instead of looking like an over-grown tomato…"

"Don't be a jackass, Taichi," Mimi remarked flippantly as she poured a fourth glass.

"You're cutting your own lime," Sora grumbled petulantly.

"Cheer up, buttercup," Taichi said, slinging an arm around the redhead. "You're about to take a shot with the very best of friends, you're basically at the rager of the year, and you're—"

"Yo, Taichi!"

Daisuke popped his head into the kitchen scanning the small space until his eyes landed on his teammate's unmistakable bushy hair.

"You're up!"

Watching Daisuke's retreating back, Taichi tilted his head to Sora and added cheekily, "And now you're about to kick ass at beer pong with yours truly."

Disregarding the disruption completely, Mimi commanded the small group of friends to raise their glasses and offered everyone a dazzling smile.

"This shot is our promise to Koushiro that he's going to enjoy every single second of this party, okay?" she declared. "We are bound together by these tiny drinks in our hands to have the best night of our lives!" With dramatic flair, she finished, "May Koushiro's birthday live on in infamy! To Koushiro!"

"To Koushiro!" they chorused.

With a melodious clink, the friends tossed back their drinks in unison. Quickly slamming down his glass onto the counter, Taichi grabbed Sora's hand and hurriedly pulled her toward the living room. "Come on, Sora, let's go find our next victims."

With a wave, she bade farewell to her other two friends. "See you guys later! Good luck with Mimi, Koushiro!"

The last thing she saw before exiting the kitchen was her friend's face paling as Mimi latched on to him gleefully, calling over the crowd, "He'll need it!"

At the beer pong table, Taichi was already assembling cups for the start of the game. Approaching their side of the table, Sora's eyes darted across to the other end and found Takeru and Daisuke grinning smugly back at her.

"I can't wait to wipe the smirks off their faces," she whispered for Taichi's ears only, earning a small chuckle in response.

After the final cup was poured, she lifted her head to meet the gaze of her partner. Knowing nothing else needed to be said, they shared a grin.

 _Game on._

*.*.*.*


	10. Chapter 9

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 9]

 _home is where the heart is_

*.*.*.*

All eyes were on the small, white, ball as it flew gracefully in the air and into the lone cup. Daisuke and Takeru shared a look of horror while Taichi jumped up and down gleefully.

"She barely made any cups all game!" Daisuke shouted over the cheers as his opponents hugged each other triumphantly. "It's not fair!"

"All's fair in love and beer pong, my young friends!" Taichi hollered, still mid-embrace. "Go ahead, start your rebuttal. Don't mind us while we celebrate!"

While the two boys went to make their final attempts at the remaining cups, Sora tightened her grip around Taichi's waist and looked up at him with a self-satisfied smirk. "You know you never would have won without me, right?"

Cocking his head to the side, Taichi chuckled, "I know you made the last cup and all, but I wouldn't be so smug if I were you. We have plenty more games to play and I'm gonna need you to start sinking more than two shots a game."

She pushed off of him, pretending to look insulted.

"At least one of them was the most important one! That has to count for like, 3 cups, at least."

Laughing heartily in response, Taichi turned to witness Takeru's last comeback throw. Catching the loose ping-pong ball, he punched his free fist into the air victoriously.

"Maybe next time, kiddos!"

Taichi sauntered over and clasped a hand onto Daisuke's shoulder. "Good game, guys," he said, patting his back warmly. "You kept us on our toes."

"We'll get you next time," Takeru smiled as he wrapped a congratulatory arm around Sora.

"What Takeru said! Just you guys wait, this was only a warm up."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll see about that," Taichi mocked. "Who's next on the list?"

"Miyako and Chizuru!" a voice called.

"Alright then, bring up the next victims!"

One by one, the duo quickly knocked out their opponents and found themselves on their fourth-straight win. Taichi would never admit it to Sora, but the alcohol was starting to get to him and he had no idea how much longer he'd be able to keep it up. _When did the lights get so bright?_

As if she had read his mind, she leaned on him for support and murmured, "How are we still even here?" Drowsily she nuzzled her head in the crook of his neck and a wave of heat rose involuntarily to his face.

He fought the urge to rest his head on top of hers.

"We're just too good," was his simple reply.

They agreed to power through a fifth game, but Taichi's concentration was progressively wavering. Sounds around him amplified. Spots began to dance across his eyes from the glaring overhead lights. All of a sudden he was exceptionally aware of the perfume Sora was wearing and wasn't able to think straight.

 _Did we just win a fifth game?_

Groaning, Sora hooked her arms around his neck and pleaded, "Taichi, I don't want to play anymore. My stomach is so full of beer I'm going to burst!"

"Our secret weapon is wimping out on me?" he teased, trying his best to keep his senses under control.

"More like averting impending dangers," she hiccuped, releasing her hold. Her lingering touch prickled down his spine.

"Alright, I guess we can resign with honor. I'll let the next two teams know they should play each other."

Taichi peeled his eyes away from her and headed toward the game list, mind buzzing.

 _I probably should slow down on the alcohol…_

Shaking his mind clear, Taichi found the next two challengers and let them know that he and Sora would be bowing out of the next game. He turned to head back to the table, but was stopped in his tracks by a sudden outburst to his left.

 _What now?_

He strained his neck over the crowd to find that someone had just walked through the front door.

 _You've got to be kidding me._

A swarm of bodies completely covered the newcomer. Indistinct, feminine squeals and shouts carried across the apartment making Taichi's blood run cold. There was no mistaking who had just entered his home and he hated himself for forgetting he'd have to deal with this sooner or later.

 _No, no, no, no, no._

Time slowed down and sped up, all at once. Taichi watched as blonde hair parted through the pressing crowd, inching its way to the center of the living room. His head was spinning as he tried to think of ways to avoid the inevitable. Maybe if he was quick enough, he could pull her into the kitchen undetected…

The new arrival found a clearing in the room and swiveled his head around, taking in the rest of the apartment. Taichi stood rooted to the ground, inwardly pleading that his old friend wouldn't notice them yet, but sapphire eyes swiftly transfixed just past his own chocolate ones and Taichi's heart sank. He wasn't prepared for this.

Instinctively, he glanced sideways at Sora, her eyes wide in recognition. Taichi looked back just in time to see a small smile grace Yamato's face.

He really wasn't prepared for this.

*.*.*.*


	11. Chapter 10

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 10]

 _all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put her back together again_

*.*.*.*

 _Yamato Ishida._

Blood rushed to her head and she couldn't hear anything but the steady thumping of her heartbeat.

 _Yamato Ishida is here_.

A lump formed in the back of her throat and she forcibly swallowed past it, trying to think of something to say.

 _Yamato Ishida is here, staring right at me_.

Her mouth still agape, she tore her eyes away from his piercing blue ones and fled into the kitchen without a word. Breathless, she leaned up against one of the counters and attempted to compose herself. She vaguely heard someone call her name and she looked up to see Taichi, his brows furrowed in concern.

"Sora…"

"You didn't tell me he was going to be here," she said in a flat tone.

"Koushiro only told me earlier today. I didn't know how to tell you."

She stared at him, demanding more of an explanation. When he failed to give her one, she shook in anger.

"Anything would have been better than this!"

Face flushed, she felt a familiar pressure building behind her eyes and she tried to keep her frustration at bay. _Do. Not. Cry._

"Sora, I'm so sorry. I didn't know if I should tell your or not, please for—"

"I'm going to the bathroom," she cut in, swearing she saw a glimpse of blonde hair nearing towards them.

Sora hastily snuck out of the doorway, making a beeline for the restroom. Seeing a line of people in wait, she slipped into Taichi's room instead, knowing he had an en suite bathroom that was off-limits to general party-goers. She moved herself in front of the cabinet mirror, gripped the edges of the sink, and looked intently at her own reflection.

 _Get a grip, Takenouchi_.

Taichi barreled in soon after, hastily slamming the door to keep out nosy onlookers. He gravitated toward the light of the bathroom and hovered over the threshold, apparently deciding whether he should move closer or not.

"Sora, please forgive me. I'm an idiot."

She breathed out slowly before responding.

"What am I supposed to do now?"

 _I can't believe I ran away like that._

"What do you mean?" he responded quietly.

"I can't go back out there!" Sora cried. She could feel Taichi inching closer to her, but she remained posted at the sink. "I'm so mortified; I'm supposed to be more mature than this!" Attempting to fix her hair in the mirror, she let out an exasperated sigh before giving up.

 _God, I'm pathetic._

Spinning around, she found herself almost nose-to-nose with Taichi. His eyes widened in surprise, but they relaxed almost instantly and he lifted his hands to her shoulders.

"Stop worrying so much, everyone else is too drunk to notice anything." He paused slightly to gather his thoughts. "Let's just go out there are pretend nothing happened."

Sora's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Are you actually serious?" she questioned skeptically.

"Of course I'm serious. This is a party, I bet people thought you just came in here to puke or something. Plus, Yamato's probably looking for you this very instant and –"

"But Taichi—"

"Stop thinking so much. Just trust me, let's get back out there no one will notice anything different, I promise."

"Fine," she grumbled, smoothing out her dress and exhaling loudly again. Raising a finger, she attempted to wipe away the excess eyeliner that was trickling down her face. She lifted up her head shyly and asked in a small voice, "Do I look okay?"

Even with his face hidden in the shadows, she could make out the faintest of smiles etched on his face.

"You always do."

She blushed, thankful for the low lighting.

"Alright, let's get this over with."

She swung the door open and subconsciously leaned into Taichi as they exited the room together. To her dismay, just past the hallway she spotted Yamato's form stealing glances in their direction while chatting mildly with Koushiro and Mimi. The two slowly made their way to the group and Sora could feel her heart beat faster with every step.

Mimi was the first to notice their arrival.

"Sora!" she shrieked. "Oh my gosh, are you okay? You look atrocious! Why is your face so pale? What did you do to her Taichi?" Without warning, she smacked the brunette on his upper arm and Sora tried her best to not look so affronted by her friend's comments

"I didn't do anything Meems," Taichi assured her. "She felt a little sick so I followed and went to take care of her." Taichi drew Sora in little closer, lowering his hand from her shoulder to her waist. "She's fine now, right Sor?"

"Yeah," Sora added, looking up at him warmly. "I think we may have played one too many games of beer pong…"

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Yamato's eyes flickered between the two of them, her cheeks reddeneding inexplicably.

"Yeah, you guys had a really good run there. How many games did you win, total?" Koushiro inquired.

"Five!" Taichi bragged. "And we only stopped because we had better things to do like socialize with you wonderful people." He grinned before turning to address Yamato.

"Anyway, enough about how great I am at everything I do, I can't believe you're actually back!" He stepped forward and hooked Yamato into a one-armed hug. "I missed you, man! You don't know what it's been like here without your brooding and sulking, this place has been too damn cheery!"

"Three years and you still haven't changed a bit, have you, Taichi?" Yamato mused, shoving his old friend off of him in jest. "I guess I missed you too," he added with a half-smirk.

"Not enough to spare a few phone calls though, huh?" Taichi pouted.

Four pairs of eyes regarded him curiously.

"What, dudes can't pick up the phone and talk to each other?" he challenged. "You stopped calling like six months into your hotshot superstar life! You can't blame a guy for wanting to hear your sweet, dulcet tones—"

"I think I'm going to cut in before this escalates into another one of your lovers' spats," Sora interjected, carefully masking her nerves with sarcasm. "Hey, Yamato, it's nice to see you." She greeted him with a light hug, taking extreme caution to not let it go any longer than necessary. When she pulled back, she flashed him what she thought was a convincing smile.

"Hey, Sora," he said quietly. He looked like he was going to say something else to her, but then seemingly decided against it. "So where are the drinks at?" he ended up asking nobody in particular. "I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do after talking with you four."

Koushiro chuckled nervously. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Well, Mimi's been shouting ever since I walked in, Taichi gets extra conceited when he's—"

"Don't hate me 'cause you ain't me."

"—when he's drunk, I assume Sora didn't willingly empty the contents of her stomach, and well, Koushiro, I think you've talked more in the last fifteen minutes than I've heard you talk in the last 11 years."

"Maybe I've just gotten really social while you were away," he shrugged. The tips of his ears burned red betraying his feigned indifference.

Mimi tugged at Koushiro's arm forcefully and batted her eyelashes. "Oh, he's definitely much more social. He says the funniest things now, don't you, Kou? I think he's funnier than Taichi," she simpered, suddenly glaring daggers at the brunette.

"Excuse me?" Taichi scoffed.

"Sora told me about Kou's burn in the kitchen—"

"You traitor!"

"—and just a moment ago he was telling us this really hilarious story about that one time when Jyou—"

"Please don't tell me you're talking about me again," Jyou balked as he approached the group. "Sorry for the interruption, I just wanted to come by and say hi." He clasped a hand onto Yamato's back and smiled, "Great to see you, man, it's been too long! How are you adjusting to being around us normal-folk? Miss all the glitz and the glam?"

"You know, it gets a bit old, to tell you the truth," Yamato confessed, thankful for the interruption. "I'm really grateful for the whole experience, but I don't know how much longer it's going to last."

Sora looked over at him curiously.

"What?" Mimi shrieked, her earlier agitation forgotten. "You're not gonna do music anymore?"

"I was supposed to mooch off of your riches and popularity once I graduated!" Taichi exclaimed.

"Does that mean you're here for good?" Koushiro asked, taking the words right out of Sora's mouth.

Yamato shoved his hands in his pockets and made a noncommittal grunt. "Dunno, I'm still weighing my options," he said vaguely. Diverting the attention away from him, he addressed the eldest in the group. "So what are you up to nowadays, Jyou? You were pre-med last I remember, did you end up going to med school?"

Jyou's eyes widened in surprise at being directly addressed.

"Yeah," he choked out. "I somehow got accepted into a few programs and now I'm attending a school about an hour or two away from here." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose before continuing. "This first semester was a train wreck, though. Sometimes I find myself wondering whether I can handle all of this. My brother—"

 _Oh boy, here he goes again_.

Sora had been on the other end of Jyou's tirades many times before and she wouldn't put it past him to unleash three years' worth of anxiety on a poor, unsuspecting Yamato. As Jyou droned on about his med school insecurities, Sora let her mind wander and found herself studying the blonde before her.

As much as she hated to admit it, the years had been kind to Yamato. The first thing she noticed was that he seemed to be slightly bigger than she remembered. His chest was broader and although by no means was he the athletic type, his body seemed to have filled out in all the right places. He must have finally started going to the gym, which was something he had been hard-pressed to do in high school.

She was also surprised that his mannerisms still felt familiar to her after all this time. A glint in his eye whenever he found something amusing. A twitch of his left hand when he became frustrated. The tugging of his sleeves when he was flustered… _wait, why was he so flustered?_

"—and you'd think by now everyone would know to cover their mouths when they're coughing in class. I mean, come on, we're going to be _doctors_ one day. Don't they know to keep their germs to themselves?

"Oh my _god_ ," Taichi groaned, interrupting Jyou's monologue. Startled out of her stupor, Sora realized she wasn't the only one removed from the conversation. Mimi had her head lowered on Koushiro's shoulder and Koushiro was staring off into the crowd, eyes glazed over.

"What?" Jyou responded, a deer caught in the headlights. Yamato merely raised an eyebrow at the interruption.

"As much as I love talking about school right after I've finished finals, I think we're gonna go get another drink and maybe hit the dance floor," Taichi proclaimed. He unexpectedly took Sora's hand, laced their fingers together, and pulled her towards the kitchen. "I'm almost losing my buzz and that's just unacceptable. We'll meet up with you guys later," he added with a wave.

Thankful for the excuse to leave, she beamed at her friends and allowed herself to be dragged away by Taichi, just missing Yamato's face morph into a scowl.

 _That wasn't so bad, right?_

*.*.*.*


	12. Chapter 11

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chaper 11]

 _oh the tangled webs we weave_

*.*.*.*

He could still feel the burn of the liquor down his throat.

"There's no way your buzz is gone, you're such a liar, Taichi."

"Jyou just had an incredibly sobering effect on me, I needed to counter it with more booze."

Sora giggled as she put down her shot glass. "You know," she said with a twinkle in her eye, "I forgot that I just puked my guts out 20 minutes ago. What will people say about me?"

Taichi grinned at her. "Probably something along the lines of 'Sora's a badass.'"

"When don't people say that?" a new voice chimed in. Taichi spun around to see Takeru emerging from the living room with Hikari, Daisuke, and Miyako in tow. His eyes immediately narrowed at his sister's flushed skin.

"Have you been drinking, Hikari?" he accused. "You're all red and sweaty."

"I'm at a party, what do you think I'm doing?" she responded, rolling her eyes. "But if you must know, I'm actually red and sweaty because we all just came from the dance floor."

"You're underage, missy! You shouldn't be anywhere near this stuff," Taichi chastised.

"Oh please, look who's talking. You drank all the time when you were underage! Also I don't recall you telling off Takeru or Daisuke when you were playing beer pong against them earlier, they're underage, too."

"Hey, don't drag us into it," Daisuke muttered distractedly as he poured himself a cup from the dregs of his jungle juice cooler.

Taichi opened his mouth to protest, but Sora beat him to it. "Leave your sister alone, you overprotective troll," she said before redirecting the conversation to avoid any further arguing. "It's pretty crowded out there, huh? I think this is the first party where I've seen more dancing than talking!"

"Did you just call me a troll?"

"Yeah, it's freaking amazing!" Miyako gushed. "There's like a buffet of guys out there just waiting for me to dance with them. Thanks for having such hot guy friends, Taichi!"

Daisuke grimaced at the comment. "Actually, everyone's dancing because Koushiro's sound system is super kick-ass. Makes you just wanna grab someone and get into the music," he said vaguely.

"Come dance with us, Sora! We're going back in there in just a few minutes, it'll be so much fun! Say yes, say yes, say yes!" Miyako pleaded. Takeru nodded beside her in agreement, "Yeah, you guys should join us! Everyone's really letting loose out there."

"You'd better not be letting loose anywhere near my sister, Takaishi."

Daisuke smirked at the threat, but Takeru gave no indication that he heard Taichi at all.

"Of course we'll join! I haven't danced in such a long time, I think I'm almost the right amount of drunk to enjoy it," Sora laughed.

"Oh, it's cool, I definitely don't mind standing here being ignored by everyone," Taichi grumbled.

"Almost?" Daisuke questioned, casually sliding an arm around Sora's waist. "As a gentleman, I'm basically obligated help you reach the perfect level of drunk. Here, allow me," he tempted, offering her his beverage and waggling his eyebrows.

"Reel it in, freshman," Taichi ordered, eyeing Daisuke suspiciously.

"Hey, Hikari has been rejecting me for, what, seven years now? I'm allowed to move on," he said cheekily.

"Sadly I don't think you're going to have better luck with me," Sora laughed kindheartedly as she shook him off, still holding his drink. Polishing it off with a large gulp, she winked at Daisuke. "Thanks for the drink, though."

"It's getting weirdly chummy in here. You freshman are banned from ever drinking alcohol again at my parties," Taichi declared authoritatively. Hikari stifled a giggle while Takeru merely lifted a corner of his mouth in amusement. "You, too," Taichi snapped, pointing at Miyako who had stuck her tongue out at Daisuke mockingly. "I just always forget you're a sophomore."

"Stop being so crabby, Taichi," Sora scolded, grabbing hold of one of his arms. "Maybe some dancing will perk you up."

Miyako pumped her fist into the air as Sora twirled around to haul the brunette out of the kitchen. Against his better judgment, Taichi allowed himself to be dragged into the living room despite his foul mood and the ripe humidity. Wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead, he grumbled to nobody in particular, "Why couldn't we have stayed in the kitchen where it was cooler?"

He found himself having to squint to make sure he didn't bump into anyone as he continued to be pulled through the dimly lit area. To his dismay, Sora didn't loosen her death-grip until she had managed to maneuver them into the middle of the crowd where it was most humid. Taichi turned around to complain again, but neither his sister nor her friends had followed them in that far.

"I think we lost our group," he shouted over the din, whirling back around.

Time stood still as he spun himself into a dangerously close Sora. Stunned into silence, every complaint he had disappeared on the tip of his tongue and his mind scrambled to think of something, _anything_ , to say to her.

"Dance with me?"

The question hung in the air, hopeful and unabashed. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice was telling him this could only lead to trouble, but any resolve he had crumbled under the fiery determination set in her eyes.

 _It's okay, it's not like we haven't danced together before_.

She took a tentative step forward, closing what little gap there was left between them and he felt a heat rise up his neck that most definitely had nothing to do with the temperature.

 _It's just two friends casually dancing together_.

The air between them was electric and he wondered if she noticed it, too.

 _There's nothing wrong with an innocent dance_.

Bodies were pressing into him from all sides, but all that registered to Taichi was the proximity of his body to Sora's. She gave his hand a tentative squeeze and he couldn't help but eye her anxiously as she slowly turned her body away from him. Pressing her back into his chest, she guided his hands to settle on her hips and his skin prickled at the contact.

It took him a few seconds to realize she had already started writhing against him. Matching his movements with hers, they developed a steady rhythm and he took pleasure in how her small frame seemed to fit effortlessly into his. She turned her head slightly to give him a shy smile and he responded in kind, leaning into her so that her hair brushed the side of his cheek.

The music roared around them and he lost himself in the moment. He was hypnotized by her touches, her smell, her everything. Gaining confidence, he took her free hand and deliberately laced their fingers together, gently pulling her even closer to him. In her own trance, Sora grinded her body provocatively against his and leaned her head to the side.

Her exposed neckline caused Taichi to lose what little self-control he had left. Against his better judgment, he lowered his head to brush his lips along the nape of her neck, eliciting a small shiver from her body. Fueled by her response, he waited until she dipped lower to deliberately drag his hands up her thighs. A small voice in the back of his mind told him that he was going too far, but he was too caught up in everything to stop now.

He heard Sora's breath hitch, but she made no movement to deter him. Catching his fingers on the hem of her dress, Taichi lingered, lightly rubbing circles with his thumbs until he leisurely made his way back up to her hips. He could have sworn that he heard a small moan escape her lips and he recklessly gripped her tighter, savoring the moment.

Far too soon for his liking, the music transitioned into a slower tempo, breaking the spell. Staggered out of his daze, Taichi looked down at Sora as she twisted around to face him. Avoiding his eyes, she hooked her arms around him and rested her head in the crook of his neck, steadily swaying to the music.

Taking her cue, he tenderly rested his hands on the upper part of her waist and fell into step with her. Not ready to face the consequences of his actions, he closed his eyes and rested his head against hers, letting the rocking motion calm his heart rate. _I might as well enjoy this while it lasts, right?_

After a while, Taichi raised his head and scanned the room to check out the state of the party. To his surprise, he found Koushiro and Mimi on his immediate left holding onto each other as Koushiro clumsily tried to avoid stepping on her toes. Peering over the crowd off to his right, he spotted Jyou's bright hair and pink-tinged face being awkwardly clung to by Miyako, who was nuzzled blissfully into his chest. Chuckling, he moved his eyes toward the front of the apartment and unexpectedly met an icy blue gaze directed straight at him.

 _Fuck_.

The intensity of the stare gave Taichi the feeling that Yamato had been watching him and Sora the entire time. He hoped it was a trick of the light, but Taichi couldn't help notice that the blonde seemed to be shaking in anger. Guilt threatened to consume him as a war raged on in his head.

 _He's your best friend_.

 _But so is she_.

 _Guy code_.

 _She started it, not me_.

 _He's your best friend_.

Yamato continued to stare daggers at him.

 _It's been three years, he should stop sulking. Sora and I are just friends_ , Taichi rationalized, pushing the offending thoughts aside. Resolutely, he kept his gaze firmly locked onto Yamato until the blonde finally narrowed his eyes and broke the contact. Taichi watched him stalk into the kitchen out of sight and slowly let out the breath he had no idea he was holding.

Sora, luckily, was still nestled in his neck and none the wiser of the boys' exchange. Biting his lip, Taichi marveled at how his mood could sour so quickly. Just five minutes ago he was living one of his oldest fantasies and now he couldn't stop panicking.

 _Breathe. This isn't the first awkward situation we've been in. Sora and Yamato are still going to be your best friends in the morning._

Things were going to be fine between the three of them.

He stared down at the crown of her head.

Things were going to be just fine.

*.*.*.*


	13. Chapter 12

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 12]

 _forget the mistakes, remember the lesson_

*.*.*.*

Without warning, an upbeat song blasted out of the overhead speakers and Sora lifted her head from Taichi's shoulder at the disturbance. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but the rising fatigue from her binge drinking told her they probably had been revolving on the spot for some time now.

Still in a stupor, she shook her head trying to make herself more alert. Sora vaguely heard Taichi attempt to tell her something, but she couldn't quite make out the words. Lazily, she looked up at him and mumbled a soft, "Hmm?"

"Do you want any water? It's really hot in here."

For some reason, the eye contact made Sora uneasy so she looked back down before responding, "Yeah, that's a good idea."

She started to walk toward the kitchen when Taichi seized her by the wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

"What's wrong?" she questioned.

He lifted his arm behind his neck and replied, "Uhh, I think I may have a couple of water bottles in my room actually, let me check there. Better than trying to squeeze into the kitchen."

"Mmm, okay. I'll wait by the couches, then."

Sora watched him disappear through the crowd before redirecting herself to the edge of the living room. Finding an open seat on the couch, she plopped down next to someone vaguely recognized from the soccer team. With a loud grunt, she splayed herself out and stretched her legs as far as possible without accidentally kicking anyone.

"Long night?"

She closed her eyes, not really wanting to have a conversation with anyone right now. Her head was spinning and she was starting to feel suffocated by all the stale humidity. _What's his name again? Haru?_

"You could say that."

Hoping he'd catch the clipped tone of her voice, she slid even further down the couch in exhaustion.

"You and Taichi looked like you were having fun out there. Guess Ryuki's out of the picture for good now, huh?"

 _He's just trying to get a rise out of you_ , she told herself. _Don't let him push your buttons_.

She counted to three before responding. "Ryuki's been out of the picture since he decided to sleep with other girls. Taichi and I were just dancing."

Another pause.

"You know, the team has been taking bets on when you two'll start hooking up. When are you going to stop being a prude and let Taichi hit it? Or are you just going to continue to friend-zone him forever?"

Anger instantly flared up inside her at his words.

"I imagine it's difficult to comprehend since you all have tiny dicks for brains," she spouted, heatedly. "But Taichi and I are friends and that's it. We just happen to be really close and—" she faltered slightly, remembering his teasing hands inching up the inside of her thighs "—comfortable with each other."

Heat was pooling in unwanted places at the memory, but her embarrassment was quickly replaced by fury as Haru gave her a knowing smirk. Sora knew she needed to make a break for it before she said something else that she'd regret later. _Why are people so goddamn nosy?_

"I'm going outside, I need a breath of fresh air."

Jumping up from the couch, Sora took a quick peek into the crowded hallway to see if Taichi had left his room yet. When she couldn't pick him out, she hurried to the front door and slid her way out into the open corridor. In a matter of seconds, she had shut the door behind her, checked to make sure she was alone, and let out a sigh of relief.

Taking advantage of the brief respite from the party, Sora aimlessly wandered over to the edge of the walkway and let the cool breeze wash over her. Reaching forward and gripping a nearby railing, she took a deep breath in an attempt to clear her mind. _Just let it go, that guy's an idiot._

She was just starting to relax when the rattling of a door handle sounded behind her. Frozen in her spot, she begged that it was Taichi coming to bring her water since she wasn't in the mood to speak to anybody else at the moment.

Sora could sense it was _him_ before he even spoke.

"Hey."

Today was not her lucky day.

"Hey, Yamato."

Sora's whole body tensed as she scrambled to figure out her next move. There was no way she could go back into the apartment straightaway – not after her embarrassing escape earlier – but she also didn't think she could muster up the energy for a one-on-one conversation. Unable to decide between the two, she settled for silence.

Taking the reigns, Yamato asked her quietly, "Did you know I was going to be here, tonight?"

Sora stared out across the courtyard, avoiding his gaze.

"No."

He paused before continuing on. "I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to tell you or not."

"That's the second time I've heard that today," she drawled.

Turning slightly, he tried to make eye contact with her, but she determinedly kept her head facing forward.

"I guess I just figured it'd be better to let things happen naturally."

"Had I known, I probably wouldn't have run away like a child," Sora retorted. She really should have had less to drink; this was not the time to be blurting out whatever was on her mind. That was Mimi's thing, not hers.

Chuckling softly, Yamato admitted, "Yeah, there were a lot of things I imagined might happen when you first saw me, but that certainly wasn't what I had in mind."

He probably meant it to be an insult, but she couldn't help but pick up on the implication that he also had been anxious about their first post-breakup encounter.

Keen to change the subject, she asked him, "So how was the tour?"

"It had its ups and downs, like anything," he mused after a brief pause. "Traveling to new places was nice, but I think I took for granted what it feels like to come back to something familiar. After all this time my dad's apartment finally feels like home, who would have guessed?"

Leave it to Yamato to answer a simple question with something profound.

"Your fans must miss you being on stage."

"Maybe," he shrugged. "The tour didn't really boost our band's popularity like we thought it would. It's probably the main reason we're thinking about disbanding." Yamato frowned slightly. "That, and the fact that there's just not much gas left in our tank to keep going. Touring and everything is really demanding, we're all starting to wonder if it's actually worth it or not."

"So you're really thinking about quitting music?" Sora looked up at him, curiosity finally getting the better of her.

"There's more to life than music," he answered vaguely.

Deciding that she didn't want to open that can of worms, Sora turned back to the courtyard and distracted herself by fixating on the gentle babbling of a large, marble fountain on the ground floor.

It was a few minutes before Yamato spoke again.

"So you and Taichi, huh?"

Apparently he had been watching her more attentively than she realized.

"What do you mean?" Sora replied, feigning innocence.

"I heard from Takeru that you were dating someone. He didn't mention it was Taichi."

 _Did he ask Takeru about me while he was gone?_

"I'm not dating anybody right now, that was a while ago."

His eyebrows narrowed slightly.

"I mean, I was dating someone else before," she clarified. "A different person. Not him."

Sora hated that she still got so easily flustered around Yamato. It was like she was fourteen and prepubescent all over again. _Can this be any more awkward?_

"I am not currently dating, nor have ever dated Taichi."

 _Smooth._

"Oh, okay." He opened his mouth to say something else but then closed it at the last moment. There was another lull in the conversation that she had no intention of breaking, lest she say something worse. His eyes looked her over and her embarrassment grew at his scrutiny.

"You look nice," he said, catching her by surprise. Was she supposed to return the compliment?

"All Mimi's doing," Sora deflected after a slight hesitation. "Can you believe she convinced Taichi and Koushiro to make this party semi-formal just because she wanted to wear a new outfit?"

"Actually, I can," Yamato laughed. She missed that sound.

 _Wait, what?_

"Yeah, I guess that is typical Mimi for you," was her reply.

 _I've got to get out of here._

Sensing an ending point in their dialogue as good as any, Sora stood up straight and turned to face the apartment door.

"Anyway, I think I'm going to head back inside now. Taichi was in the middle of getting me water and he's probably wondering whether I've been abducted by aliens or something."

She stepped forward to leave, but Yamato had thrown out his arm to block her path.

"Wait, Sora. I—"

He cleared his throat and she looked up to find his sapphire eyes staring determinedly at her.

"I was just wondering if maybe you'd like to get lunch sometime and perhaps catch up a bit more? I feel like this ten-minute, alcohol-induced talk didn't do us justice."

Caught off guard, Sora had to fight the impulse to drop her jaw in surprise. Would she be a terrible person if she declined his offer?

"Uhh, lunch? Yeah, sure, that'd be nice," she politely responded instead.

Yamato lowered his arm and fished out his cell phone from his pocket. Pressing a few buttons, he looked up at her and asked, "Is your phone number still the same? Some fans got a hold of mine somehow and I ended up having to get it changed, so you may not have my new one."

"Yeah, it's the same," Sora responded, matching his movements and taking out her own phone.

In less than a minute, she felt the familiar vibrate of her cell and saw a new message from an unidentified number. Opening the text, she confirmed it was Yamato and saved the number under his name, muttering a quick, "Got it."

"Sorry for the extra hassle, it's been a nightmare being on the road with a new phone. I mean I'm glad I don't get a million calls all day now, but it was such a struggle trying to get everyone's numbers again."

"You lost everyone's phone numbers?" _How does he still have mine?_

Realizing she caught his slip, he hurriedly looked away from her and tried to hide his blush. "Yeah. I guess I still have yours memorized, go figure," he confessed, voice steady.

Trying to make light of the situation, Sora waved him off and laughed, "It's fine. I still remember all the ones I used to have memorized, too." She stepped toward the front door again, this time without any interference. "Okay, well, I'm gonna go find Taichi now. I guess just let me know whenever you're free?"

"Yeah, definitely," he smiled, a rarity in itself.

She returned it with her own small smile and let herself back in the apartment, leaving Yamato out in the hallway. Pausing in the foyer, Sora took a moment to let the last few minutes sink in.

 _What the hell just happened?_

*.*.*.*


	14. Chapter 13

ooo

 **Puzzle Pieces**

[Chapter 13]

 _some walk through the fire and some burn from it_

*.*.*.*

"For the last time, I don't like Mimi."

Grinning like a madman, Taichi scoffed audibly.

"Come off it, Koushiro, she was all over you last night. I have eyes, you know," Taichi teased.

Koushiro sighed before turning his attention away from his laptop monitor.

"Mimi's just like that sometimes," he explained, trying his best to not roll his eyes. "At a certain point, it's just easier to play along than to fight her. It doesn't automatically mean I like her because I didn't spurn her advances."

" _Tch_."

"You're one to talk," Koushiro countered in a very un-Koushiro-like manner. "Don't think that people didn't notice you and Sora being extra friendly on the dance floor. Also, I'm surprised she didn't stay over last night, didn't you say she was going to help us clean up today?"

Taichi stayed silent.

"Did she decide she had enough of you for one night?"

Koushiro watched Taichi throw his head back onto the couch and stare languidly at the ceiling. Unsure whether he should push the subject or not, he decided to let the brunette make the next move.

"Koushiro… I – I really messed up."

Admitting fault was not something Taichi did often, and it prompted Koushiro to realize that maybe something was actually amiss between his two friends. For being an intellectual, he really wished he were better at understanding people and their emotions.

"What do you mean? Did you say something to her to make her angry?"

Taichi waited a few moments before responding.

"Things are kind of... awkward between us right now. And Yamato's probably going to kill me."

It was then that things started to click.

"Taichi… do you still like Sora?" Koushiro asked quietly.

"No!" the senior retorted as he sprung forward into a more alert sitting position.

Or maybe things hadn't clicked.

"Sorry," Taichi said in a calmer tone. "I mean, that's the weird part, I really don't."

He paused again before continuing on.

"Don't get me wrong, Sora's great; she's sweet and caring, she's gorgeous, she's –okay, I'm probably not making the best case for myself–" Taichi nervously scratched the back of his neck. "But I swear, Koushiro, I don't like her that way anymore. I just got swept up in the moment, you know?"

Koushiro didn't know.

"Ugh!" Taichi moaned as he fell backward onto the couch again. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

Koushiro had never heard Taichi talk this much about his feelings before and the redhead was at a complete loss for words, especially since he wasn't quite convinced that his friend didn't have at least _some_ lingering feelings for Sora.

"Well," Koushiro reasoned. "If it means anything, it didn't look like as if she was opposed to anything that happened last night."

Taichi groaned in response.

"What, is that a bad thing?"

"It's bad," Taichi sighed, "because Yamato saw everything and now he probably thinks we're together or something. And I know for a fact she only sees me as a friend, which means she probably has no idea that other people might think otherwise."

Now Koushiro was really lost.

"So let me get this straight; last night you and Sora danced together, neither of you like each other as more than a friend, she has no idea that people might think there's a romantic element to your friendship, and for some reason, things are now awkward between the two of you and Yamato is going to kill you, your words."

"Yeah, basically."

Koushiro frowned.

"That makes absolutely no sense."

Taichi let out a sigh of defeat.

"That's because life makes absolutely no sense."

After what he had just heard, Koushiro couldn't help but agree.

*.*.*.*


End file.
